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<h1>Get started</h1>

<p>Hello and welcome! DC++ is a free, open-source client for Direct Connect file
sharing networks. It is fully compatible with and supports connection to
hubs using the earlier <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Direct_Connect_network" target="_blank" class="external">NeoModus Direct Connect (NMDC)</a> protocol, but its primary purpose is to be a client for a new generation of
file sharing using a protocol called <a href="http://adc.sourceforge.net/" target="_blank" class="external">Advanced Direct Connect (ADC)</a>.</p> 

<p>The newest version of DC++ should work well on any modern Windows NT-based
operating system, including 2000, XP, Vista and Windows 7. Some older versions will run
on Win9x/ME but using DC++ on these ancient operating systems is neither
recommended nor supported. As long as it downloaded from the <a href="http://dcplusplus.sourceforge.net/" target="_blank" class="external">official site</a>,
DC++ contains no viruses or adware of any kind. DC++ is free; if you paid for
it, ask for a refund!</p> 

<h2>Structure of the Direct Connect network</h2>

<p>The Direct Connect (DC) network is a decentralized network, made up of
individual servers <b>(hubs)</b> that users join to share files. Users can
<b>search</b> for files and <b>download</b> them from other users connected to
the same hub. A hub only helps to find files and connect users; it <i>does not
store any files</i>. File transfers are done directly between clients, in
peer-to-peer fashion. </p>

<p>Every hub also acts as an instant messaging server. Users can chat with other
users of the same hub using the main chat (visible to every user on the hub)
or, alternatively, start a private conversation with a particular user.  Some
hubs also have special chat rooms for groups of people, such as having a chat
only for operators. </p>

<p>Each hub is individually administered, and some hubs are built around sharing a
particular type of content.
<i>Rules</i> vary from hub to hub, but most have a restriction on the minimum
amount and type of content a user may share (for example, some hubs disallow
sharing of pornography).  Hubs typically have operators (or <i>ops</i>)
appointed by the actual owner of the hub to police these rules and ban
offenders, as well as help new users. </p>

<p>There are two basic kinds of hubs. <b>Public hubs</b> are available to anyone
who adheres to the rules and require no registration for connecting.  Some
allow you to connect, but require registration to search or download &#45; this
is a grey area.  In contrast, <b>private hubs</b> always require user
authentication at login, using a username/password combination. To gain access
to these hubs, one must get registered through other channels, such as a web
forum or a public hub maintained by the same people. </p>

<p>There are <b>Hublists</b> hosted by individual hublist servers to allow users
to find hubs that they might like. These lists contain the <i>name</i>,
<i>address</i> and <i>description</i> of each hub along with other data. Some
big hublists try to contain almost all available hubs while others contain only
a list of hubs meeting certain criteria, such as hubs in a specific country.
</p>

<h2>Connecting to DC hubs using DC++</h2>

<p>DC++ has a few public <b>hublist servers</b> configured by default. They are
the most popular and reliable ones so they are available most of the time. You
can open up the <a href="window_public_hubs.html">Public Hublist</a> window by
using the View/Public Hubs menu item or by clicking on the appropriate icon in the <a href="window_main.html#toolbar">Toolbar</a>. You can <a href="dialog_public_hub_lists.html">add other hublist servers</a> or manage a
list of your own <a href="window_favorite_hubs.html">Favorite hubs</a>.  If you
simply want to connect to a particular hub with a known address you can do it
using File/Quick Connect.</p>

<p>However, before connecting to any hub you should familiarize yourself with the
basic principles of the DC network and have your client set up correctly to
enjoy all the possibilities and benefits of Direct Connect.</p>

<h2>Basic settings and usage</h2>

<a href="http://www.b.ali.btinternet.co.uk/DCPlusPlus/gettingStarted.html#settings" target="_blank" class="external">TheParanoidOne's beginners guide</a> is easy to understand and contains plenty of screenshots.
It explains basic DC++ usage and the minimum settings required to get things up
and running. Make sure you configured all the minimum settings (entered a
unique nick in <a href="settings_general.html">General settings</a>, etc...) or
you won't be able to connect to any hub.

<h2 id="firewall">Checking software firewall settings</h2>

<p>Software firewalls often cause problems as they can completely prevent DC++
from connecting to the Internet. You can skip this section if you can download
hublists and connect to hubs. However, if you can't connect to any hub or
download any hublist <u>while your other programs are able to access the
Internet</u> then it's possible that a software firewall is blocking DC++.
</p>

<p>Newer Windows operating systems (XP with Service Pack 1,2 or 3, Vista and Windows 7) have
a built in firewall enabled by default. Moreover, almost all anti-virus suites
(Norton, McAfee, CA, Eset, Kaspersky, F-Secure, AVG, etc.) include a firewall
component with their "typical" install method. Because of this, you can still
have a firewall running even if you've never installed a separate firewall
product or seen a sign of its operation.</p>

<p>If you use Windows XP with third party software firewall installed then make 
sure you have the <a href="http://support.microsoft.com/kb/283673" target="_blank" class="external">internal Windows firewall disabled</a>. 
On Vista and Windows 7 this should be always done by the firewall application.
</p>

<p>The easiest way to check if DC++ is blocked is to go the Help/About menu in
DC++ and check if it can download the Latest Version number (bottom box of the
window). A version number should appear in the box soon. If you get error
message instead it means something is preventing DC++ from accessing the
Internet.  </p>

<p>The method for unblocking programs in firewalls varies from product to product.
Check your firewall's help or manual for instructions. The best practice is to
exit DC++ and remove ALL the rules for DC++ in the firewall configuration. In
most cases the time of next start of DC++ you'll be shown a popup window where
you can re-enable DC++. You can find configuration instructions for some
popular firewall software <a href="http://www.dslreports.com/faq/dc/3.1_Software_Firewalls" target="_blank" class="external">here</a>.</p>

<h2 id="connection">Setting up your connection</h2>

<p>To make your life easier while using DC++ you should find out what connection
mode works for you. From a protocol perspective, there are two connection
methods available: <b>active mode</b> and <b>passive mode</b>. While passive
mode is almost guaranteed to work, it does not work as well as a properly
configured active mode connection.  For a more in-depth explanation, read 
<a href="faq_whyactive.html">Why do I need active mode?</a>
</p>

<p>It is very important to decide what <i>active connection mode</i> is available
for you. It depends on your network structure, so you need to know exactly how
you access the Internet. Is it a direct connection through a modem or do you
have a local network and access the Internet through a router or other gateway?
If unsure, <a href="http://www.b.ali.btinternet.co.uk/DCPlusPlus/advancedUsage.html#activepassive" target="_blank" class="external">this page</a> 
should help you figure it out. </p>

<p>If you're still unsure what network devices you use to connect to the Internet,
then use <a href="http://www.google.com/" target="_blank" class="external">Google</a>! It can give you
information on every network device you own, just by searching for the <u>model
number</u> printed on the device.  Many ISPs call their device a simple modem
when it is actually a router, so it never hurts to check.</p>

<p>In order to choose a proper active connection mode, you must know whether you
are <i>behind a router or gateway</i> or if you <i>access the Internet
directly</i>. You can also determine if you have a router or not by checking
your <i>external</i> and <i>internal</i> IP addresses. If these IP addresses
<b>do NOT match then you access the Internet through a local gateway or
router</b>.</p>

<ul> <li style="margin-left: 10px;">To see your <i>internal IP address</i> go
to the Windows Start menu, click Run... and type : cmd /k ipconfig</li>

<li style="margin-left: 10px;">To see your <i>external IP address</i> go to one
of the following websites : <a href="http://www.whatismyip.com/" target="_blank" class="external">www.whatismyip.com</a>, <a href="http://www.dslreports.com/ip" target="_blank" class="external">www.dslreports.com/ip</a>, <a href="http://www.ip2location.com/" target="_blank" class="external">www.ip2location.com</a></li> 
</ul>

<p>If you are still unsure you may want to consult your ISP support hotline or
system administrator (if on an organization's network).</p>

<p>When you look at the <a href="settings_connection.html">Connection Settings</a>
you will find 3 options for active mode and the last option for being passive
as a last resort. For being active:</p>

<ul>
<li style="margin-left: 10px;">You can use the <i>My computer is directly connected 
to Internet (no router)</i> option <b>ONLY if you don't have a router/gateway</b>.

</li><li style="margin-left: 10px;">If you <b>have a router/gateway you can use ONLY
the 2nd or the 3rd option</b> : <i>Use UPnP to let DC++ configure
my router</i> or <i>Manual port forwarding (I have configured my router by myself)</i></li>

</ul>

<p>For setting up any of the three active mode options follow the <a href="faq_activemode.html">active mode setup FAQ</a>.</p>

<p>If none of the above helped or you are not able to use active mode in your
network (e.g. you have no access to the configuration page of the
router/gateway or you have firewall service provided by your ISP) then you must
choose <i>Passive mode (last resort - has serious limitations)</i> option in 
<a href="settings_connection.html">Connection Settings</a>. As linked above,
however, passive mode has several disadvantages.</p>

<h2>Help resources</h2>
<p>
Need more help?
</p>

<ul> <li style="margin-left: 10px;">You can find <a href="index.html#faqs">FAQs</a> and explanation of ALL settings in the built-in
context sensitive Help of DC++. Just move the question mark icon from the <a href="window_main.html#toolbar">Toolbar</a> to any part of the interface you
are unsure about, or simply select a control and hit the F1 key.</li>

<li style="margin-left: 10px;">There is a complete <a href="http://www.dslreports.com/faq/dc" target="_blank" class="external">Direct
Connect FAQ</a> maintained at dslreports.com.</li>

<li style="margin-left: 10px;">There are more answers to the most frequent
support problems at the <a href="https://answers.launchpad.net/dcplusplus/+faqs" target="_blank" class="external">FAQ section of the DC++ Launchpad page</a>.</li>

</ul>

<p>There is an online <u>support forum and a bug &amp; feature tracker</u> also
available. You can access these pages through the Help menu of DC++ or from the
<a href="links.html">links page</a>. Please <b>go through all the documentation
mentioned above before asking for support</b>. Most of the questions asked in
the support page are already answered in the FAQs or even in the built-in
Help.</p>

<p><u>Important :</u> before asking for support please keep in mind that DC++ is a
<u>client for connecting to a network and developers of DC++ have no connection
to the owners of individual hubs or hublist servers</u>. So when you have a
problem with a particular hub or hublist server (and you can use others without
problems) the DC++ support team is unable to help you in any way.</p>

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